Woodland Management Plan

A Plan for My Land

Whether you own ten acres or one hundred acres, your woodland probably has more to it than you may think. Here's a worksheet to help you keep track of it all. (Some of the following may not apply to you - just mark "NA.")

A. Describe your land

Total number of acres? ___ Wooded acres? ___

How long do you plan to own your land? ___ years

Do you have a home or camp on your land? ___ Plan to build one? ___

Does your land have a stream? ___ pond? ___ Wetlands? ___

What kind of wildlife have you observed on your land?

Are there any paths or trails? ___ How often do you use them?

Any evidence of disease in your trees? ___

Any historical or archaeological sites (for example old cellar holes)?

What kinds of trees are on your land? What kinds of trees do you prefer?

Have

Want

Tree

___

___

Nothern
White Cedar

___

___

Balsam
Fir

___

___

Eastern
Hemlock

___

___

Tamarak
(also known as Hackmatack)

___

___

Eastern
White Pine

___

___

Red
Pine (sometimes called Norway Pine)

___

___

Spruce

___

___

White
Ash

___

___

Aspen/Poplar

___

___

American
Basswood

___

___

American
Beech

___

___

Birch

___

___

Butternut

___

___

Black
Cherry

___

___

Pin
Cherry

___

___

American
Elm

___

___

Shagbark
Hickory

___

___

Eastern
Hop-hornbeam (also known as Ironwood)

___

___

American
Hornbeam

___

___

Maple

___

___

Oak

B. Rank the following goals in order of importance to you (from 1, Most Important, to 10, Least Important)

___ Enhancing the natural beauty of my land

___ Maintaining my sense of seclusion

___ Creating a valuable legacy for my family

___ Providing the benefits of living trees to the environment

___ Earning money from timber harvesting, now or in the future

___ Hunting or fishing on my land

___ Maintaining trails for walking, skiing, or other uses

___ Camping or picnicking

___ Protecting the land from development

___ Preserving the quality of the water on my land

___ Providing good wildlife habitat

___ Learning about or studying nature

C. Think about who else may use your land and whether and how you want to encourage or discourage use by others - family, friends, local community members or groups, the general public.

There is no right or wrong answer, but it may affect your choices about how you manage your land.

Congratulations! You've made a great start on your Woods Wise Management Plan. The next step? Talk it over with a Licensed Forester.